Natasha Asghar
Honorific suffixMS
Birth nameNatasha Asghar
Birth date20 October[citation needed]
Birth placeNewport, Wales
OfficeShadow Cabinet Secretary for Children, Young People and Education[a]
LeaderDarren Millar
Term start12 December 2024
Term end20 January 2026
PredecessorTom Giffard
SuccessorHelen Jenner (Education)
Sarah Cooper-Lesadd (Children and Young People)
Office 2Shadow Minister for Transport
Leader 2Andrew RT Davies
Predecessor 2Russell George
Successor 2Peter Fox
Term start 227 May 2021
Term end 25 December 2024
Office 3Member of the Senedd
for Casnewydd Islwyn
Term start 38 May 2026
Office 4Member of the Senedd
for South Wales East
Term start 48 May 2021
Term end 47 May 2026
PartyWelsh Conservatives
Occupation
  • Politician
  • presenter
  • banker
RelativesMohammad Asghar (father)
EducationRougemont School
Alma materGoldsmiths, University of London (BA)
University of London (MA)
Other partyPlaid Cymru (until 2009)

Natasha Asghar is a Welsh Conservative Party politician who has served as Member of the Senedd for the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency since May 2026.[1] She previously represented the South Wales East region from 2021 to 2026. She has held a number of Shadow Cabinet roles, including Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education from December 2024 to January 2026. Her father Mohammad Asghar had represented the same region until his death in 2020.[2] She is the first female ethnic-minority member of the Senedd.

Early life

Asghar was born and raised in Newport.[3] She is the daughter of the late Conservative assembly member Mohammad Asghar. Asghar was privately educated at Rougemont School in Llantarnam, she went on to hold a BA in Politics and Social Policy and a Masters in Contemporary British Policy and Media from the University of London.[4][5]

Political career

Asghar stood as a Plaid Cymru candidate in the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election in Blaenau Gwent[6] and on the Plaid list for the Wales constituency in the 2009 European elections.[7]

She joined the Conservative Party in December 2009 at the same time as her father, Mohammad Asghar.[8][9] She said "For me, family is everything. I believe in my father. Wherever he goes I will follow."[10] At the time of Mohammad Asghar's defection, it was alleged that he left in part due to the party barring him from hiring her.[11][12][better source needed] She was hired as a member of his support staff in the Senedd in 2010.[12]

She unsuccessfully contested Torfaen at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election[13] and Newport East at the 2015 and 2017 UK Parliament elections as a Conservative.[14]

On 22 May 2023, Asghar announced that she would be standing for the Conservative Party's nomination for Mayor of London ahead of the 2024 London mayoral election.[15] She announced her decision via a video on Twitter. She had previously been a London resident for 20 years before moving to Wales.[16] On 12 June it was announced that her bid to become a potential candidate for the London mayoralty had failed when her name did not appear on the party's shortlist of three.[17]

Senedd

She was elected to the Senedd at the 2021 Senedd election to represent South Wales East. She became the first female ethnic minority candidate to be elected as an MS.[18] Shortly after she was appointed Shadow Minister for Transport.[19] As Shadow Transport Minister, she supported the creation of an All Wales Travel Card similar to the Oyster card in London.[20] She also led the Welsh Conservative's approach to criticising the reduction of 30 miles per hour speed limit zones to 20 mph.[21]

In May 2024, the Senedd Standards Commissioner announced she was being investigated over her description of the Welsh Government's new 20 mph default limit policy as "blanket". In September 2024, the Commissioner reported that this was a breach of the Senedd's code of conduct.[22][23][24] Asghar stated she would "make absolutely no apology" for her description of the policy.[23] On 25 September, Asghar was formally reprimanded by the Senedd authorities for calling Wales' 20 mph speed limit a "blanket" policy on social media, while signing off a report advising her party to refrain from using the term.[25] In October 2024, she posted images of herself attending a protest against the 20 mph policy on the steps of the Senedd, which involved heavy use of blankets, and allegedly strangled an effigy of Lee Waters, the Minister behind the policy.[26] When asked if this was a protest against her censure, she said "I'm hoping now we're in winter, blankets will be a regular feature at these important gatherings."[26]

After Andrew RT Davies resigned as Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and was replaced by Darren Millar, Asghar was reshuffled to the role of Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education.[27] Her portfolio was expanded to include responsibility for children and young people in July 2025.[28]

In the 2026 Senedd election, Asghar was elected as the sixth and final candidate on the list in the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency, with the Welsh Conservatives receiving 11% of the vote.[1]

Recognition

In May 2021, Asghar was highlighted as one of British Vogue's "5 Forces For Change".[29] She was named as one of the BBC's 100 Women in December 2021.[30]

In 2024 Asghar was awarded the Devolved Politician of the Year Award at the House of Commons for her work in relation to the 20 mph campaign in Wales[31] and in 2025 she was awarded the Iron Lady Award in the House of Lords for her contribution in politics.[32]

Notes

  1. ^ As just Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education 12 December 2024 - 23 July 2025

References

  1. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (2026-05-08). "Casnewydd Islwyn election results in full". Wales Online
  2. ^ "Natasha Asghar to stand for Welsh Conservatives in Senedd Elections". Caerphilly Observer. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  3. ^ "The Regional View from the Senedd with Natasha Asghar". Abergavenny Chronicle. 3 April 2025.
  4. ^ Asghar, Natasha. "LinkedIn Page with Educational and Professional background". LinkedIn Page. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  5. ^ "About Natasha Asghar/Mwy am Natasha Asghar". Natasha Asghar MS. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  6. ^ "Young Candidates". youngwales.plaidcymru.org. Archived from the original on 2007-07-22.
  7. ^ "Electoral Office of Wales". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Plaid AM defects to Conservatives". BBC News. 2009-12-08. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  9. ^ "The Conservative Party | People | Welsh Assembly Members | Mohammad Asghar AM". Archived from the original on 20 October 2011.
  10. ^ "Why I'm quitting Plaid for the Tories". South Wales Argus. 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  11. ^ Shipton, Martin (2009-12-10). "Plaid AM Mohammad Asghar defected to Tories after being told he could not employ his daughter as press officer". Wales Online. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  12. ^ Shipton, Martin (2010-01-26). "Daughter of AM who left Plaid to join the Tories is now on his staff". Wales Online. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  13. ^ "BBC News - Election 2011 - Wales - Torfaen". BBC News. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
  14. ^ "Natasha Asghar - Candidate for South Wales East in Senedd Cymru elections (Regions)". Democracy Club Candidates. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  15. ^ "🚨 I've applied to become the @Conservatives Mayor of #London candidate. 🥀 For 2 years I have been fighting against Labour's policies in Wales - and now it's time to take the fight to London. 👇 It's time for change and I know I can be the breath of fresh air Londoners need.". Twitter. No. 1660686909343973381. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  16. ^ "Prominent Welsh Tory announces bid to become the Mayor of London". South Wales Argus. 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  17. ^ "London mayor: Welsh Conservative Natasha Asghar's bid fails". BBC News. 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  18. ^ "Natasha Asghar becomes first female Senedd member from a BAME background". ITV News. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  19. ^ Owen, Cathy (2021-05-27). "Tory MSs who drank in Senedd during alcohol ban get top roles". Wales Online. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  20. ^ "Asghar welcomes positive response to her calls for an All-Wales Travel Card". Natasha Asghar MS. Archived 2021-11-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  21. ^ "20mph: Transport minister accuses Tory of encouraging hate". BBC News. 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  22. ^ Price, Emily (2024-05-22). "Second Tory MS under investigation by Senedd Standards Commissioner". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  23. ^ Price, Emily (2024-09-18). "Natasha Asghar breached code of conduct with 'blanket' description of 20mph speed limit". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  24. ^ "Standards of Conduct Committee - Fourteenth report to the Sixth Senedd under Standing Order 22.9" (PDF). senedd.wales. September 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  25. ^ "Senedd member told off for calling 20mph a 'blanket' limit". BBC News. BBC. 25 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  26. ^ Price, Emily (2024-11-19). "Natasha Asghar poses with 'blanket' and effigy of Lee Waters following censure". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  27. ^ "New Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar MS announces shadow cabinet". ITV News. 2024-12-12. Archived 2024-12-12 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  28. ^ Price, Emily (2025-07-23). "Welsh Tories reshuffle after MS jumps ship to Reform UK". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  29. ^ Mukhtar, Amel (30 May 2021). "5 Forces For Change That Made Waves In May". British Vogue. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  30. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2021: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  31. ^ "Natasha Asghar wins politician award for fighting 20mph". South Wales Argus. 2024-03-10. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  32. ^ "Natasha Asghar named Iron Lady of 2025 in London ceremony". South Wales Argus. 2025-04-29. Retrieved 2023-04-29.